Main-dish salads just right for warmer weather

I love salads. My weekly grocery list always includes "salad mix, lettuce, fruits and veggies." It's a permanent line on the note app I have on my phone where I keep a running list. It doesn't matter if it's June or January.

There is something about main-dish salads in the summer that make them the perfect choice for a easy week-night meal. But what makes the main-dish salad different than your standard side salad? One word: Protein.

A main-dish salad is the perfect place for sliced pieces of roast beef, steak or chicken; tuna or shrimp; beans; ham; eggs and cheese. Rotisserie chicken is a great place to start. A rotisserie chicken yields about 4 cups of meat, equal amounts of white and dark. That's enough for a main-dish salad for four to six, depending on appetites.

My personal "chicken choice" is the DeLusso chicken available at Hy-Vee. I don't know what sets it apart from other cooked chicken, but it's flavored with something that makes it perfect for salads. Usually available in the salad bar, some stores sell the chicken strips by the pound in the deli/produce department. I buy it frozen in 2-1/2 pound bags and separate it into smaller portions (you'll have to ask for it). Some stores refer to it as "fajita chicken."

Main-dish salads are more "formulas" than "recipes," so what you put in them is strictly up to you. Any of these salads can be customized with whatever vegetables and topping you choose. That's the great thing about them.

When putting together main-dish salads, use a variety of greens for color and presentation. Before using, rinse the greens well in cold water and dry them well. A salad spinner works best to dry greens. Plan on at least 2 cups packed greens per serving for a main-dish salad.

Here are several of my favorite "formulas":

- BLT Chicken Salad: I start with a salad mix blend of iceberg and romaine with shredded red cabbage and carrots. Top with chicken strips, halved grape tomatoes, sliced black olives, chopped red onion and shredded cheese. Low-fat ranch dressing is my favorite for this salad and I top it with sunflower seeds, bacon bits and croutons.

- Chicken Caesar Salad: This was inspired by a salad that used to be on the menu at Fazoli's and when it was discontinued I came up with my own interpretation. I start with a bed of romaine lettuce and top it with Italian pasta salad. (Note: Most of the time I use the boxed classic pasta salad mix you can buy in the grocery store, but you can make your own with tri-color corkscrews pasta and Italian dressing. I add sliced grape tomatoes and black olives to the pasta salad.) Top with chicken strips and more tomatoes and olives if desired. Shredded cheese and bacon bits are optional. Now here's my twist: Although Fazoli's served its salad with a Caesar dressing (hence the name) my favorite is honey french, catalina or similar sweet red dressing. It's great served with breadsticks.

If storing extra pasta salad, add more Italian dressing before serving as it will get a little dry.

- Classic Chef Salad: Start with whatever greens you prefer: classic garden mix, romaine, whatever. Add diced ham, sliced hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, sliced red onion, shredded cheese and the "crunchy stuff" of your choice (sunflower seeds, bacon bits, croutons, etc.). Thousand Island is the "go-to" dressing for classic chef salads.

- "Wendy's Taco Salad:" Another one inspired by a restaurant. Taco salads first appeared at the fast-food chain back in the 80s, but then disappeared from the menu, although they reappear from time to time, usually with some small change from the previous version. But they are super easy to make at home. I start with basic shredded lettuce, topped with a small container of Wendy's chili. (When I have the chance, I'll buy several containers of the chili and freeze it in pint-sized freezer bags.) Add sliced tomatoes, red onion, black olives and shredded cheese. My favorite toppings are ranch dressing, sour cream and salsa.

My favorite salsa for this salad is Calvin and Cleo's, developed more than 20 years ago right here in Nebraska by former State Sen. Jennie Robak of Columbus, her daughter Andrea, and friend Dee Kucera. The name comes from Kucera's husband, Calvin, and Robak's husband, Cleo. The brand is now owned by a company based in St. Paul, Minn.

- Classic Taco Salad: Again, start with a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce, and top with cooked ground beef or chicken cooked with taco seasoning. Top with tomatoes, onion, olives, cheese, etc., and finish with the toppings of your choice.

Either of these taco salads can be served in a taco shell bowl, but I usually just serve with tortilla chips on the side.

- Asian Chicken Salad: The basic recipe for this is shredded lettuce, cabbage and carrots, crushed ramen noodles (straight from the package), sunflower seeds, slivered almonds or peanuts and sliced grilled chicken. If you start with bagged salad mix that includes lettuce, cabbage and carrots, add more shredded cabbage. It needs the "crunch." Top with Asian dressing, bottled or homemade. I've also added sliced water chestnuts, chow mein noodles and mandarin oranges (fresh or canned).

Asian Salad Dressing

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons cider or white vinegar

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar (or regular sugar)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Put all the ingredients in a jar or bottle with a lid. Close lid tightly and shake well. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

Refrigerate any leftover dressing.

Recipe from: University of Nebraska Extension

Here are a few other main-dish salad ideas I've come across over the years:

- Salad Nicoise: Cooked green beans, grape tomatoes, black olives (such as kalamata), quartered hard-boiled eggs, quartered cooked and peeled red potatoes and chunks of canned tuna (packed in olive oil is tastiest). Dressing: Olive oil vinaigrette.

- Chicken Taco Salad: Shredded iceberg lettuce topped with kidney beans, black beans, black olives, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips and shredded rotisserie chicken. Dressing: Sour cream mixed with salsa, or prepared guacamole.

- Bistro Beef Salad: Cooked penne pasta, baby spinach leaves, chopped tomatoes and sliced cucumbers topped with slices of leftover steak. Dressing: Ranch or sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.

- Grains and Fruit: Cooked couscous or brown rice mixed with zest and juice of one orange, extra-virgin olive oil, peeled and sliced oranges, dried cherries (or cranberries), chopped red onion and chopped pecans.

- Get Their Goat Salad: Roast beets, then slice or cut in cubes and scatter over spinach leaves with knobs of goat cheese. (Or bread goat-cheese medallions with panko and sauté briefly.) Dressing: Dijon vinaigrette.

- Five-Bean Salad: Chickpeas, cannellini beans, kidney beans, steamed string beans and steamed yellow wax beans. Mix with sliced scallions or diced red or Vidalia onion and Italian flat-leaf parsley. Dressing: Red wine vinegar vinaigrette.

- Marinated Artichoke Pasta Salad: Mix jars of marinated artichokes and their brine with cooked bow-tie pasta, sliced raw asparagus spears and pimento-stuffed olives. Dressing: More Italian vinaigrette if you need it.

- Asian-Style Salad With Pork: Cooked cellophane noodles, shredded napa cabbage, thinly sliced cucumber, red bell pepper and scallions, shredded carrot, chopped basil and mint, and slices of roasted pork, your leftovers or from the deli. Dressing: 3 tablespoons each fresh lime juice and rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon each fish sauce and vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon red chili paste or Sriracha (or to taste) and salt to taste.

Source: Janet Keeler, Scripps Howard News Service

The salad fixings in this recipe aren't what make it special. It's the dressing that provides the "wow factor." Among the ingredients are honey, lime juice, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and fresh cilantro. Serve with flour tortillas.

Tex-Mex Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

For the vinaigrette:

1/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

1 clove garlic

1 to 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup extra-light olive oil or canola oil

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the salad:

1 whole rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 pound mixed baby greens

1 (15-ounce) can corn, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tomatoes, diced

2 avocados, diced

1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper

2 cups grated Jack cheese

To make the dressing, in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the vinegar, lime juice, garlic, chipotle chilies, honey, and salt and process until thoroughly combined and smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil (or canola oil) in a thin, steady stream to form an emulsion. Add the cilantro and pulse or process to combine.

In a large bowl, add mixed greens and top with corn, beans, tomatoes, avocados, red pepper and cheese. Now add the chicken. Add dressing and toss.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe from: Food.com

Terri Hahn of Osceola has worked in food media for more than 30 years and has won numerous state and national awards for her writing. Email her at [email protected]